Vulture says: ‘You’ve heard a lot about stars and shows like Zach Braff and Veronica Mars using Kickstarter to crowdsource funds for new projects. James Franco is doing that, only with a charitable bent. He’s started a monthlong Indiegogo campaign to raise $500,000 to film three short films from his debut short story collection, 2011’s “Palo Alto.” (Even when Franco’s being charitable he’s advancing his own career.) Franco handpicked the directors from his experiences at NYU, and all the profits made from the finished films will go to Art of Elysium, a charity that “supports first time feature film directors that have been volunteering their time with children in need.” Francophiles will be intrigued at the various tiers of donation rewards: dinner with James Franco, a role in the movie, a VIP screening, a personalized painting from Franco, who, yes, is also a visual artist.’